The life and times of a younger sister
by katiebells
Summary: Rory's younger sister GG, is now in her teens. She's currently in a boarding school in Switzerland and counts Finn's younger brother as her closest friend, but will her feelings for him strengthen their bond or ruin the lives of everyone close to them?
1. GG Hayden Boarding school resident

GG Hayden, despite numerous promises that it wouldn't happen, had at the tender age of 12, been shipped off to boarding school in Europe. Her father Christopher, referred to as Christopher instead of 'Daddy' since the moment he let go of her hand, kissed her forehead and promised to see her in the holidays, leaving her alone on the steps to an impressive French Château, young, scared and entirely too sheltered. When he talked of a better education, a place in which she could 'further herself' she always imagined it would be somewhere in America, hopefully that school Rory went to. Close to home, family and quite frankly, considering it turned out student like Rory, Yale graduate, successful journalist and happily married to Logan Huntzberger, heir to the largest newspaper industry in the whole of America, then the standard of education was nothing to laugh at. So why did Christopher think it was a good idea to send her to France of all places. She didn't know and quite frankly she didn't care, she wanted out, back home to weekends full of shopping, debates with Christopher over the best cartoons to watch during breakfast, the better cereal or the superior take-away, the occasional trip to Stars Hollow to see Aunt Lorelai where she could pretend what life would be like if Lorelai was her mom-protective and funny, rather than her own absent mother, or to Logan and Rory's for the weekend to be spoilt for a few days with outings to the highest rated plays or the best restaurants, the best seats in all of them. GG wanted that life back, so she rebelled convinced Christopher would realise what a mistake he made and take her home. She missed lessons, didn't do homework, and was disruptive in class, her grades suffered and what did Christopher do? Blamed her behaviour on the school and moved her somewhere else- Sweden, England, France again, Italy and finally Switzerland, where at the slightly matured age of 17 had been her home for 3 years now. She was settled, she was doing well at school, she was popular and she had friends, but most importantly she had her boys, Michael, James and more importantly to her Thaddeus Morgan.


	2. The boys

Michael Hogan was the only son of a wealthy family in property. His father saw himself as the next 'Trump', Michael thought his father was a glorified estate agent.

GG and Michael had met under quite normal circumstances according to the wild society they had immersed themselves in. GG had gone to a party her first week at her new school, Our Lady Saint Mary's Academy, and four hours after arriving at the party she found herself outside with Mikey Hogan who was at that point intimately acquainted with the colour and texture of her underwear. But common sense prevailed, or more likely the cold autumn weather in Switzerland sobered her up, and she pushed Mikey off her.

Mikey told her a few months later that it was her refusal that sparked his interest in her. Confused as to why someone as 'up for it' as GG was, would refuse him all his free time in the following two weeks with her. He finally got her to admit why she had stopped- she was a virgin and had no interest in losing her virginity outside to a boy she had just met at a party; it was as simple as that. But the damage had been done, in the two weeks Mikey spent with GG, they recognised a sort of kindred spirit in each other. Both felt they had been abandoned; they had arrived at their first school unaware of what debauchery it would introduce them too. They both rebelled to get attention and when that failed they rebelled because they didn't know what else to do.

After two weeks, Mikey knew why GG refused to have sex with him, but he felt that instead of having GG as a one night stand, he had her as a friend, was a fair deal. He promised to look out for her at this strange new country, and that involved introducing her too his oldest friend, James Borrar.

James Borrar was the middle son in a family of all boys; he had money but no responsibility. He enjoyed school, nothing was expected of him, good grades were a bonus, he could pay his way into any college he wanted, study what he liked not something that would lead to a lucrative job, if he chose he could spend the rest of his life drinking and partying and not even make a dent in his substantial inheritance. GG found his freedom enchanting, his attitude towards learning refreshing and his inability to take any responsibility annoying.

To GG, James was a last resort although not an unwelcome alternative. James made her laugh and he made her think, but his care free lifestyle meant GG's problems were something he couldn't handle, he could hold her, pat her back and stroke her hair, but he remained silent, he never knew what to say, so he said nothing. But GG never minded, she found understanding in another person. The same way Michael found it in her. She had Thaddeus.

Thaddeus Morgan was the youngest son of two. His elder brother Finn knew Logan. Though on the few occasions she met Finn, she could never see any similarities in behaviour between the two brothers.

Where Finn would drink and be merry, Thaddeus would drink and become depressed. Finn would have a new girl in his bed every night whereas Thaddeus would have relationships that spanned weeks in which he would love like there was no tomorrow, he was passionate, desirous, hot, blazing and ardent. Finn was handsome but Thaddeus was beautiful.

Tall and lean, darker skinned with deep brown eyes and hair that in the sun would reveal flecks of gold. He was a surfer by nature, strong legs and thighs, a flat stomach that lead up to a toned chest or down to reveal his taut hips. GG loved looking at Thadd topless, he always seemed to move with the casual grace, confident in his looks and his strengths.

Those that loved Thadd could spend weeks loving him in the most dangerous way, suffocate under their feelings, convinced they would die without him only to realise staying with him would be a much slower process of death but with the same heartbreaking end. Thadd could love but he couldn't handle being loved in return, his passionate relationships could turn into ones of bitter rage in a day. That's why GG would only ever admit to herself that she loved Thadd.

There relationship transited into one of siblings, a platonic love that provided Thadd with comfort and safety and no obligation to return it, because siblings don't need confirmation everyday that they love each other, not like lovers.

For GG her relationship gave her another chance to pretend. Like she pretended Lorelai was her mother, in Thadd's arms she pretended that he knew how to love her back, that they were happy and would always remain so.

By the end of her first year in Switzerland, she had settled into a comfortable regime with the boys.

Older students were allowed more freedom, so rather than dorm rooms they lived in communal houses, divided into cul-de-sacs and scattered around the school, a sense of family was created between houses on the same street and large street parties were not uncommon.

GG spent most of her time in the boy's house. If she lost something it was more likely that it was in one of the boy's rooms rather than her own. Her toothbrush was with theirs in the bathroom and after a series of arguments she was presented with her own bathroom cabinet to keep tampons. The boys tended to pretend it didn't exist. She would eat with them, party with them, cook with them and of course she slept at their house. At first she tried to protect her modesty and sleep on the couch, but after a while she realised the boys were too used to her, to care where she slept, so if she felt like it she would curl up in bed with one of them. She used to alternate which bed she stayed in, but it soon became just Thadd she stayed with. Nobody said anything, it was natural, and she and Thadd developed a relationship uncommon in a boy and a girl. In retrospect, Thadd had encouraged her to fall in love with him, he treated her like his girlfriend, he was protective of her, he cared about her grades and if she stayed up too late, he gave her free reign over his bedroom. Really it was his fault things turned out the way it did.


	3. Break ups, talks and falling in love

GG realised she was in love with Thadd just after he had broke up with a girl named Suzie. This was his third break up that year, it was June. Normally he would arrive back at the house looking completely defeated. Slouched shoulders, messy hair and a weary look on his face. He would stay in his room for two days then James would go upstairs, manhandle Thadd downstairs and him, James and Michael would go drinking until the early hours of the third day. After which Thadd would be back to his normal lethargic self, until the next beauty caught his eye.

Unfortunately for GG, Thadd's third break up coincided with a school trip that Mike and James found themselves forced on. Thadd arrived home and went straight to his room, everything indicating that he had just ended another relationship.

It was about this time that GG began to chant '_Shit!'_ in her mind. The boys wouldn't be back for another week; Thadd wouldn't be able to go on his break up binge drinking. GG had no interest in taking a depressed Australian to a pub and she had no idea what the boys said to him to help him get over his latest break up. She worried about this for two days, until it was the end of the second day.

'_What's the worst that could happen?_' She remembered thinking. God if she knew how things would have turn out she never would have gone upstairs to his room, she would have turned around and ran. But she didn't, instead she grabbed a few beers from the fridge and made her way up to Thadd's bedroom.

Entering it she was disgusted. The curtains were closed leaving the room bathed in a blue black light. Clothes were strewn all over the places and shards of glass scattered among them. GG noticed a broken picture frame by one of the walls, a photo of Thadd and Suzie still inside it. A smell of sweat and feet was polluting the air, and GG could make out the unconscious form of Thadd on his bed still clad in his clothes from two days ago, the bed covers also on the floor.

'Thaddeus!' GG whispered, afraid to break the deathly quite of the room, 'Thaddeus!' She tried again.

'Piss off, Jamie!' Thadd's husky voice cut through the silence.

'Hey!' Slightly offended that Thadd thought she was a boy, but given his current state it was understandable. 'Thadd, its GG not James.'

'Oh, well then, piss off GG.'

'Christ Thadd, I'm just here to help. Have a beer.' GG was a bit miffed, she could have just left him, but no, she had to help and now she was being told to 'piss off'.

GG threw the can at Thadd, not caring where it landed. 'It's still cold, I've just got it out the fridge, although it might be a bit fizzy considering I just threw it at y..'

'G! Get lost! I am not in the mood.' Thadd's voice was louder now, his head turning toward her so he could glare.

'Fine! I'm just trying to help, but whatever. Stay here and waste away in your own filth, I'm going!' GG turned to leave, striding indignantly across the room and straight into a small pile of shards of glass, which of course cut into her bare feet.

'OW! SHIT! That hurts!' She found herself hopping up and down trying to relieve the pressure on the soles of her feet. Noticing the only chair in the room was covered in Thadd's underwear, she turned around and hopped her way to Thadd's bed, throwing herself on his legs and bring her feet up to inspect them.

The lack of light proved to be a problem, but she could make out small streams of blood slowly running down the length of her left foot. Her right foot seemed to have been more lucky, a small cut was present on her big toe, but that was it.

'What have you done?' Thadd more awake than before, probably due to her weight being thrown on his knees, had removed himself from under her, dragging himself up towards his pillows and sitting cross legged against his headboard.

'Well, I can't be too sure, being as there is NO LIGHT!' GG was angry now, her feet were beginning to sting.

'Is that like a hint?'

'Just turn on the light.'

Thadd flicked the switch next to his head, wincing as he took in the cuts on GG more unfortunate foot.

'Why didn't you wear shoes when you came in?' Thadd began questioning GG.

'I wasn't aware they would be needed.'

'Oh well, usually they're not. I got a bit carried away this time. Actually where is James?' GG was barely listening to Thadd, instead choosing to focus her attention of shifting herself closer to the light, without dragging her feet against Thadd's bed and getting blood on it.

'School trip,' was her short reply. She had managed to move herself up next to Thadd, her shoulders touching his as she moved her feet underneath the bedside lamp, inspecting the damage again.

Thadd was silent, choosing instead to watch GG dab the blood on her feet away, when she had finished, she stretched her legs out in front of herself, sighed and turned to look

Thadd in the eye.

'Errr….do you want to talk about it?' She had no idea what to do, in her experience boys didn't want o talk about there feelings, but the alternative was to leave him slowly starving in his room 'till Jamie or Mike came home, or take him to the pub and, considering the state of her feet, even if she did survive the pain walking all the way to the pub, she wouldn't be able to carry Thadd's drunken self home. Fortunately for her, Thadd seemed to be cooperating that night.

'Yes,' he replied.

'Really? I mean, erm…go ahead.'

It was Thadd's next words that changed GG feelings for him. There wasn't anything in what he said that made her love him straight away. It wasn't a film or a book, where she realised he was a wonderful person and she had to spend the rest of her life with him. Instead, she listened calmly as he told her things; he missed his brother, Australia, he entered these passionate relationships because for a few weeks it made him feel needed, but he could never give back what they gave him, he gets depressed when he drinks because he thinks that as a younger brother with no real purpose in life then he must be a waste of space, he doesn't like being depressed, he likes being happy and energetic because when he was 4 Finn said to him 'It takes more muscles to frown than laugh' Finn read it from one of their mother's magazines and it always stayed with Thadd, he missed his mother as well, he'd rather be at school in Australia, he does like school really, he also likes reading but only books with happy endings, he hates books that make him cry, he also hates tree frogs because he thinks frogs in trees are unnatural, he hates the girls in school who are pretty but have nothing else to them, that's why he liked GG, he loves having her as a friend and his friends mean everything to him.

After GG had left Thadd, who promised to wash and change his clothes, she went downstairs and watched The Simpsons. She didn't think anything of what Thadd had said top her, except the tree frog thing, that was weird, but she worried about him so decided to keep a close eye on him. Watching him over the next few days, GG noticed little things that she had never seen before about Thadd. When he daydreamed he began to write words on the table with his finger, GG watched him once write out 'Finn', when he tidied up the bookcase he would place some books carefully away whilst other books namely 'Romeo and Juliet' were shoved hastily onto the shelves, when Jamie and Mike talked about some of the pretty but academically challenged girls in school Thadd would sneer and if one of his friends sighed Thadd would look up quickly and watch them for a while.

Thadd began to make sense to GG. To her he was a secret, the things he did only were now understood by her but not by the boys maybe not even Thadd. This gorgeous boy had always been a puzzle to her, but now she had some clues to help figure him out, he became less of a mystery, GG saw him now as a homesick boy, confused about life and fiercely protective of his friends. And she loved him for it.


	4. A day in the life of part 1

A day in the life of (1)

GG was on her bed in the boy's spare room. Although originally she slept in Thadd's room with him, it became more trouble than it was worth every time he got a new girlfriend and she was unable to get to her clothes and possessions because of the rampant love-making between Thadd and his latest interest. So, after spending so much time on the living room coach that she became territorial of it and refused to let anyone else sit down, Mike and James moved all their stuff out of the tiny little 'mess room' as GG christened it, and she moved in.

House swapping was against school rules so naturally it was a common occurrence. Last GG heard her original house had been taken over by some sisters from LA; her previous roommates had abandoned the house moving in with friends and boyfriends. So moving in with three boys, none of whom she was having a relationship with was a bit odd but accepted.

It was Saturday morning. The previous night had seen the 4 friends split into two groups. Mike and James had hitched a ride with a group heading into the next city, if it was a good night they wouldn't be home until later that evening. If it was a great night, they could be waking up anywhere in Europe. She and Thadd had declined, last week Thadd had found himself in Scotland, surrounded by drunken teenagers and a goat, and he was still replacing the stuff he lost in that expedition. GG declined with a more reasonable excuse, drinking with the boys meant drinking with the boys until they found someone to 'entertain' them and then she was left on her own, going into to town meant repeating the same only further away than she was willing to walk, ever.

So she and Thadd had gone to the pub, got outrageously pissed to compensate for not joining the others and stumbled home in the early hours of the morning going their separate ways at the top of the stairs. GG had collapsed on her bed and Thadd had ended up on the floor next to the toilet.

Unfortunately for GG she had never learned to take her alcohol, like everything else she blamed Christopher, although in this case it was probably true, she had seen Rory get drunk and violently ill on Miss Patty's punch far too many times. But thanks to a boarding school diet of inedible school food, junk food, takeouts and alcohol, the boys, namely Thadd, had developed a stronger defence against alcohol.

So early Saturday morning (too early in GG's opinion), Thadd who had recovered unnaturally quickly, bounded into GG's room. Awake, excited and fully determined to drag GG along on whatever his choice activity for the day was.

'Alright, I understand your intolerance to alcohol but I feel I have given you more than enough time to recover. Get up lets go.'

Lying prone on her bed, covers round her knees and trying not to throw up, GG was too hung-over to form enough words to resist and instead settled on an easier, 'Where?'

Apparently Thadd was expecting some sort of resistance and after the momentary shock of such an easier win, grinned and whispered, 'Shopping!'

GG knew she was privileged, her room was filled with technological gadgets, her clothes were designer and her handbags couture, she always had a ready supply of cash and enough credit, debit and reward point cards to misplace one and not notice for months. As a result, her favourite way to pass the time was shopping, but not right now, at this moment in time she wanted to throw up, curl up and die.

However, Thadd had other plans, which apparently included 'Operation; Annoy GG out of her room'. Throwing last nights clothes off the computer chair and onto GG's feet, Thadd switched on her laptop and began to make more noise than necessary in what should be a relatively quite task.

Unsure of why he was in her laptop, GG lifted her head and managed to get, 'What the hell are you doing?' before collapsing back onto her pillow.

'Checking my emails, I met a girl last night whilst you were dancing, gave her my email address, she promised to write as soon as she got home.' Came Thadd's reply. Thadd had lost his phone, amongst other things in Scotland, and until he got a new one had resorted to handing out his email address instead.

GG didn't know what annoyed her most, that he was making too much noise to let her get back to sleep, or that it was another woman's email that caused him to make such a racket, whatever the cause GG suddenly found a spurt of energy and pushing herself of her bed she rather unsteadily made her way towards the bathroom, grabbing her jeans and the cleanest t-shirt within arms reach as she went.

A quick shower, a vigorous teeth brushing and a minimal layer of makeup later and GG wandered back into her bedroom tying her hair back. Entering her bedroom again, she found the laptop off and Thadd on her bed holding her purse. Greeting her with a small smile, Thadd quietly said 'I helped' before passing her the bag, which upon closer inspection had everything she needed.

She smiled back and grabbed her shoes and jacket, slipping them on as she walked off.

'Lets go,' she yelled over her shoulder, the hang-over receding as Thadd grasped her hand in his own.

Apparently, Thadd had managed to replace most of the things he lost in what was now referred to as 'The Scotland Incident', but he still needed to get a new phone, so by Saturday lunchtime, GG and Thadd, complete with new phone, were in the city park on a bench eating taco's. GG never used to believe Rory when she mentioned her special Taco hang-over cure, but then GG experienced her first hang-over, suddenly the advice didn't seem so stupid and GG passed on the taco cure to the boys.

Taco time was quite time, and it wasn't until the two had finished that conversation was struck up again. The topic; trying to piece together what had happened last night.

GG remembered turning up at the bar, having her first drink sitting with Thadd discussing what the other two were up to, having a few more drinks as the two eyed up the other bar patrons, meeting a few Austrian students, dancing as she watched Thadd drunkenly attempt to flirt with the middle-aged bar owner and then stumbling home with him.

Thadd remembered turning up at the bar, having a few shots with GG laughing at the memories of the last time the other two went to party out of town, having more shots, watching as GG drunkenly giggled with some German business-men, then sat watching her dance on the tables whilst flirting with the attractive bar tender, then stumbling home with GG.

All in all, they decided, maybe this wasn't one of those times that they really wanted to work out what happened.

Finishing their discussion, GG decided that she needed more shoes whilst Thadd decided he needed more TV. Together they decided that GG would shop a bit more and Thadd would get a taxi home, feeling able to drive now his hangover had gone, Thadd would come back at around 5pm to pick GG and her shopping up and the two would head back home picking up supply of popcorn, drinks, other movie snacks and DVDs as they went, tonight they would do as Rory and Lorelai do and Gilmore' it.

Saying goodbye to Thadd at the taxi rank, GG wandered back into the mall reflecting on the day. What had started as crappy, hang-over day had turned into a fun morning with Thadd. It was one of the things she loved about him most, he didn't mind spending the entire day with her, and it was always fun. With Jamie and Mikey they would last until lunch and then decide that they needed to either go out or invite more friends round. But with Thadd, he would devote the entire day to her.

Looking forward to new shoes and a movie night, GG happily shopped until 5, and headed off to the agreed destination, where she waited until 6.15 before she finally admitted that Thadd wasn't late, he hadn't got the wrong hour, he had simply forgotten to pick her up.

GG hailed a taxi and climbed in, trying to determine what must have happened to make Thadd leave her out in the cold.

_The boys must have come back and they got carried away and Thadd forgot. Wait, wouldn't they have noticed I wasn't there, that would have reminded Thadd he was supposed to get me._

_Car crash, maybe, but I can't see any sign of a crash and the taxi's nearly at the house._

_Got lost, probably not._

_Family emergency, maybe something happened to his dad, or to Finn._

As the taxi pulled up to the house, GG took note that Thadd's car wasn't there, grabbing her bags and walking inside, GG was confronted by an empty house and an uncertain feeling.

She needed to phone him but her phone was in her purse, which was currently in one of the many shoe bags she had with her. Heading upstairs to her room, she entered and threw the bags on the floor, looking for the one containing her purse. Finding it, she stood up and pulled out her phone standing straight and looking up ready to dial she noticed a note on her pillow.

_G,_

_The email from the girl last night turned up whilst we were out, apparently she's the bartender at the bar and she's 18, so sucks for you, but it seems my version of last nights events are more likely, anyway, we've arranged to meet up for drinks tonight, she's off home for Easter tomorrow, so it was now or never. _

_Sorry I couldn't get you, but she has a flight home for the Easter holidays tonight and she wanted to meet up before she went. _

_I did pop by the rental place and I got you some snacks and DVDs, so at least you can have your film night. _

_Jamie and Mikey rang, they should be back really early tomorrow morning so if I'm not back tonight you won't be too lonely._

_Sorry, I'll make it up to you._

_T_

GG didn't know what she should be feeling, or doing. Mike and Jamie had both done something like this, breaking plans with her to entertain someone that would shag them, but in three years of friendship, Thadd had never made plans with her and then left her to for drinks with someone else, man or woman.

It hurt.

Plans with Jamie and Mike, involved back-up plans in case they cancelled, but she never had that problem with Thadd and now for him to do this, was almost unforgivable, because for a moment Thadd was Christopher.

As a single parent family, she and Christopher had always had a bond based on an 'us against the world' mentality. In their family it was just the two of them, they had to trust each other, depend on each other and then with almost no warning he ships her off the Europe, leaving her to fend for herself.

If Thadd was capable of acting like Christopher for even a second, then GG knew he was capable of breaking her heart, just like her father did.

GG had no other plans, sitting in front of the TV and eating too much junk food seemed like a good idea.

When Mike and Jamie arrived home early Sunday morning, they found the TV on with just a static picture, empty packets of sweets, popcorn and chocolate littering the coffee table and GG curled up on one end of the couch, looking more child-like than either of them had ever seen her.


End file.
